Back Injury May Force Kenny Florian to Retire

Ultimate Fighter alum and UFC veteran Kenny Florian is facing the very real possibility that his career may be over.

Florian told the Boston Herald “a lumbar herniated disc in his lower back has put his future in jeopardy.”

Having failed in two title bids at lightweight, Florian earlier this year made the move down to featherweight. He made an immediate impact, winning his 145-pound debut, but then failed to wrest the title from current UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

Following the loss to Aldo, Florian intended to take a few months off and get his body back to lightweight form.

He told the Boston Herald, however, that a weightlifting injury in November caused numbness and tingling in his right leg, and it’s not improving.

Doctors advised the 35-year-old Florian that he should hang up the gloves.

“It’s possible, unfortunately,” Florian said of his career ending. “I’ve kind of been going back-and-forth with some of the doctors, so it’s possible. I’m just kind of doing what I can and hoping that things heal up and get better.

“I’m just kind of in a holding pattern. That’s why I decided to do this commentary for the time being and take this next six months to really heal up and try to make some money on the side.

“I’m just hoping that it can heal up and get better and then see if I can go back to doing what I was doing. So far, I still need to rest. If I go to do something physical, I’m just not able to do it. That pain is coming back.”